The Florida Department of Transportation is planning to spend $3 billion over the next five years to improve transportation infrastructure in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.


The plan, known as the Tentative Work Program, is in the planning stages and FDOT will take suggestions from the public at public hearings and online.

Residents will be able to ask questions or offer comment on studies ranging from building bike lanes to expanding State Road 826, the Palmetto Expressway.

“We want to make it easy for residents and business owners of Miami-Dade and Monroe to take part in the decision-making process,” FDOT District Six Secretary Gus Pego said in a statement. “Streaming the Work Program public hearing allows us to bring this event to homes and offices. It will enable more people to join the discussion.”

The live hearing will differ slightly from the online one but the content will be the same, FDOT said. The live hearing will open with an informal “walkaround,” giving participants  an opportunity to visit exhibits, review display boards and get information from study and project representatives. Online visitors will be able to see pre-recorded video of the same information.

The Miami-Dade hearing will start at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, in FDOT’s District Six Auditorium, 1000 NW 111th Ave. in West Miami-Dade. The one in Monroe will be from 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8, at the Marathon Government Center, 2798 Overseas Hwy.

The hearing can also be accessed online at www.fdotmiamidade.com/workprogram.

Online participants should preregister and can watch an informational project video at their leisure.

For more information, call District Six Public Information Officer Maribel Lena at 305-470-5277 or e-mail maribel.lena@dot.state.fl.us.